Trey Hardee winning the Heptathlon 60m Hurdles in Doha (© Getty Images)
The defending champion American Bryan Clay is still leading the men’s Heptathlon after five events, but things didn’t go smoothly for the leader in the first event. Clay took a false start in the 60m hurdles and although he did get off the blocks relatively quickly as the first athlete, he hit some hurdles hard and was caught by compatriot Trey Hardee midway to the race.
The Decathlon World champion Hardee went on to win in a fast 7.79 and moved to second place in the total competition behind Clay. The 30-year-old Valencia 2008 champion Clay still leads the competition clearly with 4531 total points at this stage following a 8.00 result in the hurdles, but that also means that the next event pole vault will be crucial in the gold medal battle. Hardee is only 46 points off Clay with 4485p. Ukrainian Oleksiy Kasyanov almost caught Clay in the hurdles clocking 8.01 behind the American. Kasyanov is now in third place with 4456 points, but pole vault is his weakest event and without a miracle he will be dropped off the medal position before the last event 1000m.
Although, as expected, Russian Aleksey Drozdov was slowest in the 60m hurdles clocking 8.34s, that still meant plus points for him. Drozdov was very close to his best result and is within reach for the medals before the last two events. The Russian is only 10 points off the bronze medal position in fourth with 4446 points and is a very good pole vaulter and 1000m runner. Roman Sebrle of Czech Republic clocked 8.30s in the hurdles and that means he will not get a medal this time. Two times World indoor champion has 4373p for fifth place at the moment.
Belarussian Andrei Krauchanka was hoping for a bit better result in the hurdles, he ran 8.04s, and has to get a personal best in the pole vault if he wants to run for a medal in the 1000m where he is one of the fastest in the field. The 24-year-old is in sixth place with 4359p, almost a 100 points off the bronze medal. Cuban Leonel Suárez continues in seventh place and was disappointed with his 8.24s result in the hurdles. He has also dropped off his heptathlon national indoor record pace.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
The Decathlon World champion Hardee went on to win in a fast 7.79 and moved to second place in the total competition behind Clay. The 30-year-old Valencia 2008 champion Clay still leads the competition clearly with 4531 total points at this stage following a 8.00 result in the hurdles, but that also means that the next event pole vault will be crucial in the gold medal battle. Hardee is only 46 points off Clay with 4485p. Ukrainian Oleksiy Kasyanov almost caught Clay in the hurdles clocking 8.01 behind the American. Kasyanov is now in third place with 4456 points, but pole vault is his weakest event and without a miracle he will be dropped off the medal position before the last event 1000m.
Although, as expected, Russian Aleksey Drozdov was slowest in the 60m hurdles clocking 8.34s, that still meant plus points for him. Drozdov was very close to his best result and is within reach for the medals before the last two events. The Russian is only 10 points off the bronze medal position in fourth with 4446 points and is a very good pole vaulter and 1000m runner. Roman Sebrle of Czech Republic clocked 8.30s in the hurdles and that means he will not get a medal this time. Two times World indoor champion has 4373p for fifth place at the moment.
Belarussian Andrei Krauchanka was hoping for a bit better result in the hurdles, he ran 8.04s, and has to get a personal best in the pole vault if he wants to run for a medal in the 1000m where he is one of the fastest in the field. The 24-year-old is in sixth place with 4359p, almost a 100 points off the bronze medal. Cuban Leonel Suárez continues in seventh place and was disappointed with his 8.24s result in the hurdles. He has also dropped off his heptathlon national indoor record pace.
Mirko Jalava for the IAAF
